Retirement Community Redevelopment

Creating culturally inclusive aged‑care spaces with modern design and community focus

Client: Calvary Retirement Communities (formerly Mary MacKillop Care)

Location: Cowandilla, SA / Kaurna Country

Calvary Flora McDonald Retirement Community, located at 206 Sir Donald Bradman Drive in Cowandilla, underwent a significant redevelopment completed in June 2017.

The $40 million project added two new wings to the existing facility, including a purpose-built Vietnamese-specific wing—the first of its kind in South Australian aged care. This addition reflects the multicultural makeup of Cowandilla and provides culturally tailored services and design, including bilingual staff, culturally specific foods, and programming. The overall redevelopment expanded capacity to 153 beds, with 29 dedicated to the Vietnamese community.

The challenge

Calvary identified a growing need among older Vietnamese Australians in the region for culturally appropriate aged care that honours both their heritage and community values. The redevelopment had to balance modern facility design with cultural sensitivity, while seamlessly integrating with existing operations and community identity.

Our Approach

Lucid worked collaboratively with Calvary and the Vietnamese Australian Benevolent Foundation SA to ensure culturally precise design elements, operational functionality, and resident wellbeing:

Employed inclusive planning to reflect multicultural resident needs
Coordinated ambient communal spaces alongside culturally focused living zones
Ensured modern architectural quality across new wings
Facilitated stakeholder alignment with future-focused aged-care services

Solutions delivered

Two modern, purpose-designed care wings, including one specifically tailored for Vietnamese residents
Bilingual staffing strategies and cultural programming baked into operational planning
Enhanced resident amenity with private ensuite rooms, shared lounges, courtyards, and lifestyle areas
A lean, sensitive design process respecting existing built fabric and local context

Case Study - Calvary Aged Care Cowandilla

Outcomes

A culturally inclusive aged-care environment serving diverse community needs
Increased capacity uplift, catering to both general and specific ethnic backgrounds
A modern facility that blends compassionate care with design excellence
A model redevelopment that respects heritage and community values

Better World Impact

This redevelopment demonstrates how infrastructure can embrace diversity while delivering clinical excellence. Lucid’s contributions helped shape a space where residents feel seen, connected, and culturally supported—building a true home, not just a facility.

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